mgpcpastor's blog

We checked in at Darwin airport just after 4.00am. The flight arrived in Dili at 6.45am local time. We were met by Arlindo Marcal and a small company of locals. As a welcome we were each presented with hand-made stoles emblazoned the flag and name of East Timor.
The welcome team took us to the rustic Hotel Turismo and checked us in, giving us an hour or so to rest and prepare for the day. GW took a nap.
At 9.00 we set out for Ermera district, a drive of 90 minutes, but a distance of about 60kms. For those of you following our proposed itinerary, you will recognize the alteration. If I haven’t mentioned the word flexibility yet, I can assure you it won’t be the last time you read it over the next week. By traveling to Ermera today we were able to visit a school at Gleno Town.
The traffic is not as dense as other places in this part of the world, but the familiar sound of car horns, motor scooters traveling with four passengers and stop signs that seem advisory at best and faintly ironic at worst help to acclimatize you to the fact you are not home anymore. The other sights of fish, freshly caught for sale on the beach, pigs, bound and hanging on opposite ends of a pole carried on a vendors shoulder, or even a substantial goat securely tied on the roof of a van driving down the highway complete the sense of transition.
We were ably driven by Arlindo in his Hilux and Daniel in his Pajero, both of whom skillfully drove us out of the city, along the coast and up the mountains to the south west of Dili, eventually navigating us through thirty centimeter deep pot holes in the road on the top of the range with one hand while answering their mobile phones with the other.
As we climbed to an altitude of about 1000 metres the lush canopy that envelops the higher mountains gave rise to crops of coffee in the cooler peaks and rice in the saturated valleys. An indicator of Timor Leste’s growing engagement with international markets was that the most heavily fortified compound we saw all day enclosed a coffee bean processing plant, nestled in the ranges.
Gleno Town was razed by the militia less than ten years ago, but has risen from the ashes. While some structures remain abandoned shells, the majority of structures have been rebuilt and life has resumed.
Those of you who know our Moderator-General will also be wondering when the word ‘story’ makes it into our reports. Well the story of today is the Escola Infantil Jardim da Esperança and more particularly, that of its Directora Regina de Lima.
The Escola Infantil is a junior primary school, the only school run by the EPC-TL. There are forty-five students aged between four and six, separated into two classes. The three of us were ushered into each class room and were introduced to the students. Robert made some remarks to the children and then passed over an envelope containing copies of the book Timotio Nia istoria (Timothy’s story) a Christian children’s story, written in both English and Tetun (the common language of Timor Leste). Regina opened the envelope and was in the process of thanking us for the gift when she realized that they contained Tetun text. Her thanks grew to gratitude.
After the children were dismissed for the day (at 11.30) we were welcomed for lunch. Amidst a filling repast of some form of kumara, sweet potato and cassava, both steamed and fried (with due respect paid to the chili sambal) we were able to learn that Regina was of Brazilian origin. For the first twenty years of her life she was nominally Catholic, with spiritist leanings, not uncommon in her country. She was not unaware of the Gospel, for she had a girlfriend who shared the Gospel story with her. With the self-deprecating laughter of someone who had whose life was arrested by God, she told us of her hostility to the Gospel and the suspicion she felt of ‘born again’ Christians. Yet her life was gripped with bleakness and depression and filled with suicidal thoughts, tempted to throw herself under a car, she remember her friends assurance that God loved her. She cried out to God that if He was real and was there that she would hand her life over to Him. She received Jesus and the darkness of her life lifted. Ten years later the joy and energy in her life are transfixing. She has served in Peru and now teaches and directs these young people.
The support of her work is also a testimony of Christian fellowship: her Assembly of God church in Brazil support her work. She is their only cross-cultural worker. Funding for the school itself comes from the Church of Christ in Geraldton, West Australia. Regina has visited Geraldton and Darwin and has a genuine affection for Australia.
As we spoke her concern for these precious young lives became evident when we asked her what happens when the children are too old for the Escola Infantil. They have to go to the State Schools, even though the families are thankful to the church for the quality of education their children are receiving and wish it could go on. Rob Duncanson was able to complete our visit by passing over a very heavy bag packed with school supplies.
The Congregation in Gleno Town is rebuilding, both numerically and structurally. Pastor Agostino has been joined by eight families who are attached to the work and with the School functioning and faithful Christian witness taking place, growth continues. As we left Gleno, we passed a derelict building with the words ‘We hate Australians’ emblazoned on the side. Thankfully one senses that the generosity and support of Australians is helping to make those feelings of hurt and frustration abate. Agostino accompanied us on to Matata and while we traveled he read ‘Timitio’ about two and half times through. The impact of that book will go far beyond young lives.
From there we back-tracked a little until we turned into what appeared to be a culvert, but was actually an intersection. There were times when a thirty centimeter deep pothole would have been a relief as we climbed high into the mountains to visit a Congregation at Matata. The pastor has cared for the church for thirty years, and has a faithful congregation containing 16 families and is supported by elders. Some of the need of the Bible-believing Protestant Churches of Timor Leste became apparent as we learned that some eight years ago this faithful leader and Congregation had withdrawn from the existing Protestant denomination and had aligned themselves with the Lutheran church. Yet the lack of Lutheran presence in Timor Leste has meant that they have witnessed in virtual isolation. Pastor Paulo appreciated our visit and fellowship, as he appreciates the fellowship of the EPC-TL.
Tonight we eat, sleep (very soundly) and tomorrow we go to Liquiça District. A final lesson learnt today is never let the Moderator-General proof read a document outside the front door of your hotel. An hour later, with about ten new friends made we’re still striving to finalise this report. But these are stories for another day.